Polycom expands videoconferencing arsenal

Polycom's QDX 6000 system requires a broadband connection of just 256Kbps

Communications hardware vendor Polycom is looking to expand the reach of its teleconferencing line.

The company announced on Monday that it plans to release a more affordable enterprise videoconferencing system. The QDX 6000 will be priced at $3,999 and require a broadband connection of 256Kbps.

The adoption of videoconferencing systems has been hampered by the high price of the hardware itself, and the bandwidth costs for the dedicated lines that high-end setups often require.

Polycom claims that the video on its new system will be "DVD quality" while still maintaining minimal bandwidth requirements.

"You won't find another videoconferencing system in the market today near this price point that delivers the level of voice, video and content quality or the features and performance delivered by the Polycom QDX 6000," said Joe Sigrist, Polycom's senior vice president and general manager for video solutions.

"The Polycom QDX 6000 puts wide-screen, high-resolution video conferencing within reach of small and medium-sized organizations and teams, providing a rapid return on investment and helping save real dollars by reducing business travel expenses without sacrificing effectiveness or the ability to execute across distance."

With the smaller price tag and lower requirements, the company still plans to offer video at 30fps with a 12x zoom capability at either 16:9 or 4:3 ratios. The system will also sport five input ports and support for dual monitors.

Polycom said that the QDX 6000 will begin to hit the worldwide market later this month.